Lost
by Donatellosgirl36
Summary: Donnie and Sarah's daughter, Mira, is growing up and that sometimes can hurt. A short fic about rebellion, self-discovery, and acceptance.
1. Little Plots

Disclaimer: Sorry, but no I don't own them. Makes me want to cry... Okay all better now.

A/N: This is just a quick fic. A brief peek inside Mira's life and how she is growing.

* * *

"No, Kazzey! You're not allowed in my room!" Mira pushed the five-year-old out and slammed the door.

He plopped on his bottom and started to cry.

Sarah came from the kitchen and frowned at the youngster crying in the hall. "Aw, what happened, Kaz?"

"Mira won't let me play." He pouted, folding his arms.

Sarah opened the door and frowned at her daughter, who was sitting at her desk with her back to her. "Mira, what have we told you about slamming your door?"

She looked over her shoulder at her mother a bit tentatively. "Not to."

"So, if you continue to slam it or be mean to your cousin, I'll just have your father take it off the hinges."

"But Mom, he's messing with my experiment." Mira whined. The youth realized her mistake the moment the words left her mouth. Her mother's eyes narrowed as she stepped further into the room to see what was on her desk. Mira felt her mother's frustration boil to the surface. "I wasn't-"

Sarah shook her head at the several beakers of chemicals on the desk. She put her hands on her hips. "Mira we have talked about this."

"But Mom-"

"No, if you continue to break the rules there will be consequences." Sarah put the corks in the beakers and collected them. "Experiments are done in the lab, not in your room."

Donnie graced the doorway. "What's going on?" He had felt his wife's frustration and came to inspect the situation.

Sarah turned towards him with an arm full of beakers. She threw a hand in the air as she stepped into the doorway. "You talk to her. She's obviously not listening to me." He frowned as she walked past him to return the beakers to the lab.

Donnie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Mira frowned as she felt his disappointment wash over her. "Daddy, I was just-"

He put up a hand to silence her. "Mira this is the third time this week we've caught you with chemicals in your room. You know the rules." Outside, Kaz stood up and peeked around the corner.

"They weren't dangerous chemicals." Mira protested.

"It doesn't matter. We have rules for a reason Mira and you continue to break them." He sighed and Mira felt the slight hardening of his heart. She knew what was coming. "And there are consequences for breaking them."

She stood up. "But Daddy, that's not fair!"

Don steeled his nerves as he stood straighter. "It is quite fair Mira. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Now, go to the dojo."

Mira glared at Kaz as she passed him into the hall. "This is your fault!" She gave him a little shove and he fell back on his bottom.

"Mira!" Donnie's tone was sharp and she cringed. "You just added another ten laps. Now go!"

Mira darted off down the hall past Sarah who was standing in the doorway of the lab. Donnie frowned and turned his gaze to Kaz. "Are you okay, Kaz?"

He sniffled. "I didn't mean to get her in trouble."

Donnie picked him up and set him on his feet. "You didn't do anything wrong, Kaz. Mira was the one being naughty."

He nodded sadly, his little face drooping. It reminded Donnie of one of Mikey's expressions. Kaz had really begun to take on a lot of Mikey's personality traits lately. With a sigh, Donnie turned and started down the hall. Sarah caught his arm. "She's just going through a rebellious phase. Hopefully, it'll be over soon."

He patted her hand. "I know." He dragged a hand down his face. "I just wish Master Splinter was here sometimes. He'd know how to handle things like this."

Sarah drew him into a deep embrace and he let out a heavy sigh. "You're doing great, love. Every child is going to test their parents. Ours is no different." She leaned back to smile at him. "She's just going to do it in whole different way."

He smiled slightly, but she could tell he was still frustrated by their daughter's behavior. He kissed his wife's brow. "I'd better check and make sure she's doing the laps."

Sarah smiled wanly as he stepped away and headed back to the dojo, which had been where he'd started out in earlier. Leo was standing near the door, frowning as Mira ran around the room. Donnie frowned as well. "What is she up to?"

"Ten." Leo gave him a quick look. "What'd she do this time?"

"Sarah caught her doing experiments in her room again and then she shoved Kaz."

Leo sighed. "Yeah, well I remember us doing things like that too."

"Yeah, and Master Splinter was none too happy about it. I remember him making me do a hundred pullups for stopping up the sink that time with that gelatin mixture I made."

Leo couldn't help the small smile at the memory. "It did completely block the pipe and we ended up having to replace it."

"How was I to know it would turn to cement once it hit the water?" Don shook his head. "And that's exactly my point. If she'd do the experiments in the lab where I can keep an eye on her, she could avoid a lot of the mistakes I made."

Leo watched Mira make her twentieth lap. "She's got to make mistakes, Don. It's the only way to learn. She's just doing the same things you used to do."

Donnie ran a hand over his head. "Yeah and that's exactly what scares me. Do you realize how many times I nearly blew myself up and didn't even know it? If Splinter had had any clue he never would have allowed me do half the things I did."

Mira came to a stop in front of them. She stood at attention, her head down. Leo folded his arms. "Do you understand why you were being punished, Mira?"

"Yes. I broke the rules." She said quietly.

Leo frowned again. "The rules are there for your protection. And believe me, your father is lot more lenient than your grandfather would be if he were here."

She kept her head low. "Hai, sensei. May I go now?"

Leo and Donnie exchanged a look. Leo shook his head in dismay. "Yes." Without meeting either of their eyes, Mira bowed and left the dojo. Once she was gone, he sighed. "She definitely has Sarah's spirit."

Donnie finally smiled a little. "And stubbornness."

Leo chuckled. "You want to finish our match?"

Don nodded. "Sure."

They turned back to their training session as Mira headed for her room. She frowned when she found Kaz sitting on her bed. "What do you want?"

He kicked his foot. "I just want to play."

She folded her arms. "Why don't you go play in your room?"

He frowned. "Yoshi is taking a nap and Uncle Raphie says not to go in there when he's taking a nap." The two boys now shared the room between Mikey's and Raph's.

Mira heaved a frustrated sigh. "Fine, just don't touch my stuff."

Kaz grinned. "Can we play Go Fish again?"

She rolled her eyes. "You don't know all the numbers."

"I do too." He pouted, his bottom lip jutting out.

Again she sighed. It was frustrating to play any game with Kaz, unless it was something physical. She was so much older than him and far more intelligent. The games she enjoyed were too complicated for him and the ones he liked were too childish for her. However, physical games seemed to suit them both. Kaz was tall and was already more than half of Mira's height. She smiled, a little plot forming in her mind.

"How about we play hide and seek?"

He grinned. "Yeah!"

"Okay, you hide first."

He hopped off the bed and ran to the door. "No peeking!" He called over his shoulder.

Mira flopped on her bed. "I don't plan on it." She rolled onto her back with a smirk and picked up the astronomy book from her bedside table. She'd let him hide and think she was looking for him. It'd keep him out of her hair for a while – if she'd had any hair that is.

Kaz ran across the living room where Kala was folding laundry. She smiled. "I heard you and Mira had a fight. Did you make up?"

He nodded vigorously. "We're playing hide and seek."

She chuckled. "Alright, just remember to stay down here. The garage is off limits right now."

"Okay, Mommy." He sprinted away to find somewhere to hide. He looked and looked but Mira had found him in all the good places already. He glanced at the gate that led into the sewer tunnels beyond. He'd been warned not to go through there, but maybe if he hid just on the other side of it. "Yeah, Mira'd never find me there."

He walked up to the big metal gate and shook it. It was locked. He frowned and then looked at the bars. They were spaced wide enough for him to slip through. Wiggling himself through the narrow space, he paused to straighten his orange cap before continuing further. The tunnel that led up to the gate was devoid of any kind of hiding place, so he walked further down to where there was a bend in the passageway. He'd been this way with his father several times so he was somewhat familiar with the area nearest the lair. He found a place in the dark to settle down and wait for Mira.

The sound of children playing echoed in the tunnel. He looked up. Were there children down here? What were they doing? Maybe they were like him. He smiled. Maybe he could make some friends. He glanced back towards the lair and decided it would only take a minute to investigate, and he'd be back in plenty of time to surprise Mira. Without further hesitation he turned and sprinted down the winding tunnels trying to locate the source of the children's voices.

An hour later, Mira heard Yoshi babbling across the hall. She put down the book and glanced at the clock. She started. She hadn't realized it had been so long. Jumping up, she dashed into the living room which was empty. She checked all the regular places and finding no Kaz, she headed into the kitchen. Sarah and Kala were preparing dinner. Kala smiled. "Are you two still playing hide and seek?"

Mira glanced at her mother. "Uh, yeah." Well, it wasn't exactly a lie. She glanced around. "He's hiding really well this time. Have you seen him?"

The two women shook their heads. Sarah lifted an eyebrow when Mira frowned. "What is it?"

The youth shifted. Her mother could easily sense when she was lying out right. "Nothing. Oh yeah, Yoshi is awake." She glanced around. "I guess I'll look somewhere else for Kaz." Mira darted off through the lair before she could be further questioned. She hoped her smallest cousin would prove a distraction for her mother. After another ten minutes of searching, she stopped to think. _Kaz has never been able to hide this good._ Her eyes met the metal gate and her jaw dropped. _No, surely he wouldn't have…_

She moved to it and looked at the tunnel beyond, which indeed showed small footprints in the muddy tunnel floor. She gasped then immediately steadied her nerves. If she freaked out it would only alert her mother and then her father. She set her jaw and pulled at the gate. It wouldn't budge. _He must've slipped through the bars._

She stepped back and examined the gate critically for a moment. They kept the gate locked to keep out the occasional sewer worker and to keep in the roaming toddlers. But she knew where the spare key was. She ran back into the living room and found it where it lay beside the television. Running to the gate, she quickly unlocked it and bolted down the tunnel following the small footprints.

* * *

A/N: Don't forget to review! It would be a great Christmas present for me!


	2. Lost

A/N: I hope your all enjoying this little fic.

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Mikey and Raph came up to the metal sewer gate a little while later. Raph took hold of it and it opened. "Mikey, did you leave the gate unlocked again?"

"No way, bro. I made sure it was locked. Can't let the rug-rats escape." He chuckled when Raph snorted.

"Well, it's open." Raph stepped inside and locked it behind Mikey. They paused beside the kitchen and he grinned. Yoshi was starting to climb into one of the chairs at the table. "Hey, that could be dangerous little man."

Raph scooped him up and Yoshi squealed. "Daddy!"

Mikey chuckled. "You're way too overprotective, bro." He moved to wrap his arms around Kala who was stirring a pot on the stove and slip her a quick kiss.

Sarah laughed as she turned from where she was chopping vegetables. "He's going to get bumps and bruises, Raph. That's just what toddlers do."

"Not on my watch." He tossed his son in the air and Yoshi gave another joyful squeal.

Sarah rolled her eyes and went back to chopping. Raph was way too protective of the tot and they all knew it. He'd barely set him down the first six months. And now that Yoshi was walking and getting into things, he was right on top of the poor kid every second.

Cat had turned out to be the one to allow their child the most freedom, though she too kept a watchful eye on him when she was downstairs. She had also turned out to be a very good mother. She had been a bit more awkward than Raph at first, but that was not uncommon in new mothers. And over time she'd filled her role quite well. Yoshi was happy and well adjusted. It was clear how much she adored her little turtle from the loving look in her green eyes each time she looked at him.

Mikey looked around. "Say, where's Kazzey?"

Kala frowned. "He wasn't out there?" She nodded towards the living room.

"No, I didn't see him."

She shrugged. "He and Mira were playing hide and seek. Maybe they're in the dojo or Mira's room."

Sarah frowned now. "Come to think of it, I haven't heard either of them in a while." She'd been distracted by Yoshi the past half hour and hadn't realized that her daughter did seem kind of far away.

Mikey waved a dismissive hand at her. "I'll go check on them." He headed out to check the bedrooms first, but finding them empty headed for the dojo. Don and Leo were working with the weights. "Hey guys."

"Hey, Mike. Did you guys have a good run?" Leo asked as he did another curl.

"Yeah, except I think one of your security sensors is out down near junction five, Don."

"Okay, I'll check it out later." Don used the long bar while doing squats.

Mikey glanced around. "Have Kaz or Mira been in here?"

This made both brothers stop. Concern flickered in Donnie's eyes. "Not for a while. Why?"

Mikey frowned. "I've looked everywhere. I can't find them."

The weights were discarded as the two brothers pushed past Mikey back into the main part of the lair. "What do you mean you can't find them?" Leo asked.

"They've got to be here somewhere." Donnie rushed down the hall to the bedrooms and his lab.

"I've already checked back there, Donnie!" Mikey called after him. He was starting to really get concerned now.

Raph emerged from the kitchen with Yoshi. "What's goin' on?"

Donnie came back, panic now adorning his features. "We can't find Mira or Kaz."

Sarah paled as she stepped into the kitchen doorway. "What!"

"Maybe they went up to the garage." Leo offered.

"No way, Mira knows better than that. It's still daylight." Donnie pointed out.

"Yeah, and even if they had Cat or Amaya would have brought them right back down." Raph reminded them.

Leo reached over and hit the intercom beside the elevator. "Cat, are Mira and Kaz up there with you?"

A few moments passed and then there was a response. "No. Is something wrong?"

"We're not sure yet."

"We'll be right down." Cat disconnected and within a minute the elevator was opening. She sagged with relief to see Yoshi in Raph's arms. At least whatever was going on he was safe. She moved to stand beside Raph. "What's wrong?"

"Mira and Kaz are missing." Mikey said fear slipping into his voice. Tears welled in Kala's eyes as she stepped into the room. He moved to wrap his arms around her.

Amaya slipped an arm through Leo's. She could tell he was very worried for the children. He looked down at her and placed a hand over hers. Her quiet soothing was appreciated.

Raph turned to look at the gate. "Mike, you don't suppose…."

Mikey's eyes widened. "Oh, no. They wouldn't have…."

"What?" Leo prompted.

Raph shot a thumb at the sewer entrance. "The gate was unlocked when we got here."

Donnie moved to Sarah's side as he felt panic wash over her and…confusion. "What is it?"

Sarah shook her head. "Mira isn't scared. She's anxious but not scared."

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Good, maybe they haven't been spotted yet. Can you lead us to her?"

Sarah nodded firmly. "Of course."

Kala gripped Mikey's plastron, her blue eyes showing true terror. "Mikey?"

He kissed her brow as he pressed her tight to his chest. "Don't worry, we'll find him. I promise."

Raph passed Yoshi to Cat. "We should be back soon. They can't have gone too far." His eyes lingered on Yoshi for a moment. He could imagine how his brothers were feeling right about now.

"Let's go!" Don and Sarah had already moved to the gate, which was swung open.

"I'm coming too!" Kala protested when Mikey started to pull away. He opened his mouth to argue but it was washed away quickly by the determined look in her eyes. Instead he nodded, taking her hand and hurrying to the gate.

"We will remain behind, in case they return." Amaya told Leo as he turned to follow his brothers. Raph brought up the rear as they dashed into the tunnel beyond.

* * *

Kaz paused as he neared the voices he'd followed. The storm drain he was now in ended in light. He glanced over his shoulder in the direction he'd come from, his father's words ringing in his ears. _"Never leave the lair Kazzey. If someone saw you they might take you away and hurt you."_ But kids wouldn't hurt him, would they? He turned back to the light and voices. He decided if he was quiet enough, he could take a look without being spotted. And if they seemed nice, maybe they could play together.

He crept along the storm drain until he was just within the darkness. Outside it was dusk, the sun had already set and the shadows were beginning to stretch. Three teenage boys were taking advantage of the dry half-pipe drain in the small urban park. Their skateboards skidded along the cement as they did twist and turns, all while teasing and chattering at one another.

"Watch this!"

"Not bad, but this is better!"

"You guys are lame. Try this one!"

Kaz's eyes grew round with wonderment. They were good. He wanted to play as well. He'd already begun skateboarding himself under his father's supervision of course. He inched a little closer as the dying sunlight lengthened the shadows more.

Mira stopped for the fourth time, examining the tunnel floor and trying to stretch out her empathic powers. The others were sometimes hard to sense. The further they got away from her, the harder it was to tell who was who. It was different with her parents, there seemed to always be a connection. But with the rest of her family, proximity helped to strengthen her link to them.

She frowned as the tunnel floor revealed no footsteps since it was dry here. She tried again to focus on Kaz. Then she sensed him up ahead and that slight tinge of wonderment that always seemed to follow her small cousin around. She darted up the passage and came to a stop. Her jaw fell open. "Kaz!" She hissed.

Almost at the very end of the tunnel, Kaz was squatting watching three teenagers skateboard. He didn't seem to notice her calling him, so she slipped closer. Her heart pounded in her ears. If he were spotted, she knew it would be bad. She'd heard enough stories of how humans reacted to things they didn't understand. And her mother had assured her often that most humans would not understand them. She was now within a few feet of him. "Kaz, come here." She hissed again, this time getting his attention.

He turned to look at her in the darkness. "Mira?" The problem was the movement, so close to the drain's end, caught one of the teenagers attention.

"Hey, what's that?" He moved in their direction, his buddies flanking him.

"Some kind of animal." One of the other boys guessed.

Panic shot through Mira as they got even closer. "Kaz, come here!" This time she hissed it a bit louder.

The younger turtle pouted. "No, I want to play with them. You didn't want to play with me."

Her eyes widened as the boys drew even closer. And then before she could stop him, he turned to them and took a step in their direction. Ninja training taking over, she shot forward wrapping an arm around him and covering his mouth with her hand.

It was too late though, they had already been spotted. "What the heck are they!" One sputtered.

"Some kind of freaks!" A second boy picked up a rock and chunked it. The other two soon following suit.

Mira twisted, shielding Kaz with her shell. He whimpered as she tucked him against her. A rock scratched her shoulder making her flinch in pain. She knew they had to get out of there fast. She spun around and gave her fiercest growl, sending the boys sprawling backwards. Taking advantage of their momentary shock, she grabbed Kaz's hand and pulled him deeper into the tunnel.

They ran as fast as they could, the boys' voices fading behind them. Mira didn't stop until she was certain they were deep enough that they couldn't be followed. Kaz threw his arms around her and wept. "I'm sorry, Mira."

She pushed him back to look at him. "Are you injured, Kaz? Are you okay, Kazzey?"

He continued to cry. "I'm okay." He pointed at her shoulder. "But you got hurt."

She lifted a hand to her shoulder, she could sense his guilt swamp her. The bit of anger she'd felt a moment ago at his running off, slipped away. She sighed, hugging him again. "It's just a scratch."

"Can we go home now, Mira?" He sobbed.

Mira looked around her. In her haste to escape their attackers, she hadn't paid attention to where they were running. She frowned. "I wish we could. But we can't, because I don't know where we are."

Kaz sniffled. "So, we can't get home?"

Mira glanced over her shoulder. She could feel her parents getting close. "It'll be okay, Kaz. Sofu always said that if I got lost to stay where I was and someone would find me."

She sat down on the tunnel floor and Kaz settled beside her. Snuggling into her side, he wiped his tears. "You're so lucky. You got to know grandfather."

She wrapped an arm around him. "I guess so. But sometimes it's hard for me to remember him. I was about your age when he died." She sighed. "Now be still and quiet. My mom and dad are on their way."

* * *

Sarah stumbled a little as she felt Mira's panic shoot through her. Beside her Donnie frowned as he felt her fear increase. "Sarah?"

She didn't stop running, in fact her pace increased. "She's scared, Donnie. Oh, God! What if something has happened to them!"

His eyes narrowed with determination. "Just get us there. We'll take care of the rest!"

Another few minutes of running and Sarah skidded around a sharp corner. There, no more than ten feet away, were the children. She barely slowed her pace as she ran forward.

"Mommy!" Mira bounded off the ground, to be wrapped in her mother's warm embrace. Sarah sank to her knees, tears slipping from her eyes.

"Daddy!" Kaz cried as he spotted his father.

Mikey scooped him up and crushed him to him. "Kaz! Oh, Kaz! Are you alright, Kazzey!"

Beside him, Kala was sobbing as she wrapped her arms around them. Mikey slipped him into her arms and she squeezed him tightly. "Oh, my baby!"

Donnie fell to his knees beside Sarah and Mira, pulling his girls into his arms. The relief that filled the air was palpable. Raph trembled and Leo put a hand on his shoulder, knowing how his brother felt. After a long moment, the tears subsiding into sniffles, Leo spoke. "Mira, what happened?"

Donnie leaned back, frowning. "You know you're not supposed to leave the lair."

Mira frowned as well, tears still trickling down her cheeks. "Kaz ran off and I went to find him, but I didn't know how to get back."

"You should've told someone, munchkin. Why didn't you?" Raph was finally starting to calm down.

Mira looked down, twiddling her fingers. "Because it was my fault he ran off. I told him to go hide, but I didn't go look for him."

Donnie's frown deepened, his disappointment and anger was tempered by the incredible relief of finding them safe. "Yes, what you did was wrong, Mira. But not telling anyone that he'd left the lair was worse." Sarah lifted swollen eyes to meet his and he sighed, pressing a kiss to Mira's head. "But we'll deal with that later. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Yes, I am too. But I think we're going to have to make some upgrades to the sewer entrance." Leo ran a hand over Mira's head. She looked up at him and he smiled. "You looked after Kaz. You did really well, Mira."

Mikey looked up from his son. He gave her a small smile of his own. "Yeah, dudette. Thanks for watching out for him."

Mira looked away with a frown and Sarah held her just a little tighter. She could feel her daughter's emotions tumbling around inside her – guilt, sadness, relief and…shame. Sarah lifted her head to meet Donnie's eyes. He nodded, pulling Mira into his arms. "Let's go home."

Despite the fact that Mira was nearly twelve she still had a relatively small stature. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood. "I'm sorry, Daddy." Her voice broke making his heart ache. He squeezed her tightly as the group turned and headed home.


	3. Finding Self

A/N: This is the final chapter. I hope you've enjoyed.

* * *

After a few glasses of water and a small bandage placed on Mira's shoulder, they sat down to find out the full story. Kaz sat in Mikey's lap as he recanted the tale. "I just thought they might want to play with me, but then they started throwing rocks at us. Mira grabbed me and we ran away."

Mira's head dropped another notch as he finished the story. Although everyone seemed to be proud of that she'd protected her cousin, she just felt bad. She recalled the look on the boys' faces when they'd spotted her and Kaz. It had been one of fear and disgust. She felt her mother's arm wrap around her. "Mira?"

The young turtle swallowed hard, not daring to meet her mother's perceptive gaze. "I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed." Without further comment she rose and went to her room.

Mikey frowned at Kaz. "You know better than to leave the lair, Kaz. You'll have to be punished for disobeying." The little turtle's expression dropped, it was rare for him to be reprimanded. "No TV for a week."

Kala nodded. "Yes and I think you should go straight to bed after supper." Kaz frowned but didn't protest.

As everyone starting getting up to leave, Yoshi turned in Cat's lap. "Kazzey's in trouble?"

Raph nodded. "Yeah, he went outside without permission. That's very bad."

"And very dangerous. You're never to go outside, Yoshi." Cat told the tot.

"Yeah, you could get lost like they did or worse hurt." Raph rubbed his little head. It worried him that Kaz had been able to slip out of the lair so easily.

Yoshi turned his bright green eyes to the hall. "Like Mira?"

Raph followed his gaze. "Mira was very lucky to only get a scratch. It could have been a lot worse."

Cat frowned as she watched Sarah walk down the hall with a pensive expression. "I don't know that it wasn't worse." Raph frowned understanding her meaning.

Sarah stopped outside of Mira's door. She stared at it for a long moment. "Sarah?" Donnie took her shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked away. He could feel her great worry. "What is it?"

"I've never sensed these types of emotions from her before. They're so…raw." She lifted her head to meet his gaze and there were tears pooled in the corners. "She's hurting."

Donnie sighed. He had a feeling he knew why. He opened Mira's door slowly. The youngster was sitting on the side of her bed. She wiped at her face, trying to hide the tears. He sat down beside her. "You were very quiet while Kaz told us what happened. Is there something you want to tell us?" She shook her head.

Sarah moved to stand at the foot of the bed. "What happened, Mira? Please tell us."

Mira didn't look up. "They were so mean."

Sarah frowned. "The human boys?" Mira nodded.

Donnie had dreaded this talk for so long, but now it was time to make her understand. "What did they say?"

Mira lifted her head just a little. "They called us freaks." She looked up at him. "Are we freaks, Daddy?"

"Oh, Mira…" Tears ran down Sarah's cheeks as she started to move towards their daughter.

But Donnie caught her hand. This had to be done. The truth wasn't pretty but it had to be said. "Mira, there are only seven of us in existence while there are over seven billion humans on Earth. To say the least we are an aberration. And humans fear and hate the things they think are abnormal. That's why we avoid them. It's also the reason we train as ninjas, to protect ourselves and our family."

Mira frowned, reading between the lines. "So, we are freaks."

Sarah pulled away from Donnie to sit on the other side of Mira and pull her into a hug. "No, you're not. You're my sweet, beautiful baby girl. And I'll knock anyone's teeth out that say otherwise."

More tears slipped from Mira's big brown eyes. "But…"

Sarah shook her head, holding her a little tighter. "You're unique. You all are. But that doesn't make you freaks, it makes you special. It makes your lives even more precisions and important than anyone else's."

Donnie smiled. Leave it to Sarah to make their differences sound so beautiful. "Come on, Mira. I want to show you something." He took her hand and led her from her room. He paused near the gate that led into the sewers.

Sarah nodded, understanding he wanted to be alone with Mira. She squeezed his hand then bent to place a kiss on Mira's head. "I love you, sweetie."

Donnie stroked Sarah's cheek, silently reassuring her before turning and stepping into the tunnel beyond. He climbed onto a sewer runner. Mira climbed on behind him. "Hold on tight."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shell. She closed her eyes trying to find the confidence she once had in her world, trying to understand why she had to be an outcast. She barely noticed when they came to a stop.

"Do you remember this place, Mira?"

She looked up at her father's voice, examining her surroundings for the first time. Some part her felt a familiarity with it, but she shook her head. "No, not really."

Donnie dismounted and guided her through the all too familiar entrance. The room before them was dark and empty. He smiled lightly as memories swamped him. "This used to be our home. This is the place where we grew up and you were hatched."

Mira gazed around. The space did seem familiar but in a very distant way. "Why did you bring me here?"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "So, I could remind you, you're not alone. We've been down the same paths as you. We've made the same mistakes too. We were reminded every day that we were different and that we should never go to the surface." He sighed remembering Splinter's many warnings. "We've tried to shield you from all that, Mira. We wanted you to grow up understanding the outside world but also understanding we are still separate from it."

She lowered her head. "Why don't humans like us? Aunt Cat and Aunt Amaya aren't like that. And neither are Mom and Aunt Kala."

"They are the exception, sweetheart. They are not the rule. We will never truly be accepted by the outside world."

"But if we are so different….why was I born?"

Donnie swallowed hard. Slowly he knelt and turned her to him. He cupped her round face. "You were born out of love, Mira. And you return that love a hundred fold every day. You are Mirakuru, a miracle. And I know this life will be hard for you for many, many reasons. But I also know that you can handle it. And remember we have already walked the road before you. And we will always be here to help guide you." He gave her a humorless smile. "We've been called freaks, monsters, lizards, and dozens of other things. But we don't let it get to us anymore. We've come to accept that people react like that out of ignorance." He squeezed her shoulders. "And you will have to learn to accept it as well. It is simply part of who and what we are."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he felt his shoulder dampen with her tears. He held her tightly, allowing his words to seep into her and comfort her as best they could. After a few moments she leaned back, wiping away her tears. She looked around them. "Will you show me around, Daddy?"

Donnie smiled. "Of course." He stood and pulled out his flashlight. "This room was the living room."

"It's a lot smaller than the one at home."

He chuckled lightly. "Well, we have a lot more family than we did back when we lived here." He turned to the left and stepped into the doorway, Mira following. "This was my lab." Mira gazed at the two large consoles that remained. They were rusted out and covered in dirt and debris.

They walked through the rest of the old lair, exploring the old alcoves. Donnie told her stories when they'd come across a crack in the brick walls or burn mark on the ceiling. At last they came to the final room. He took a deep breath before stepping inside. He'd known it would be the hardest, but he hadn't realized it would still be just as heart wrenching as it had been the last time.

"What was this room?" Mira looked around as he moved the light about.

"It was the room your mother and I shared after we were married." He moved the light along the far wall and paused as something reflected on the floor. "What's that? I'm sure we went over this place thoroughly before we left."

They moved closer and he knelt to look beneath the pile of twisted metal that had once been the frame to Sarah's dressing screen. He could just make out something white beneath the grime. He passed the light to Mira as he stood. He took hold of the twisted metal frame and moved it to the side. The frame looked more like some kind of modern lawn art now than it did a dressing screen.

"What is it?" Mira asked as he knelt back down to remove the object from the layers of dirt. He couldn't help but chuckle. She wrinkled her beak in confusion. "Dad?"

He smiled as he turned the small porcelain plate over in his hand. "This is the second time I've rescued this little guy." It was astonishing but the trinket had somehow escaped any major damage. The only thing that marred its surface was the cracks that had been left from its repair more than fourteen years ago. "I know someone that will be very glad to see you." He stood, tucking it securely into his belt. He turned to his young daughter. "Are you ready to go home?"

She nodded as they headed back outside to the sewer runner. "Will things always be this hard, Daddy?"

He frowned. "You're growing up, Mira. And the older you get, the more you'll understand. Things will only get harder from here." He paused before mounting the runner to look down at her. "And I'm afraid things may be even harder on you than they were on me."

She blinked innocent eyes up at him. "Why is that?"

"Because, you'll not only be the one your cousins will look to for help due to your intelligence, but also because you'll be the eldest. They will look to you to show them the right way, just as your uncles and I still look to your Uncle Leo from time to time." He frowned. "It is a harder path than the one I had to walk, for that I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No it won't, because I'll have all of your footsteps to walk in."

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked this little introspective of Growing Up Turtle, as it is. Please review. I'm working on the next fic but it might be a bit. So, Merry Christmas!


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